# Can someone explain Cigarbid.com to me?



## ben1000 (Oct 31, 2010)

Howdy....

I understand the general concept of auctions, as I use ebay a lot, but I can't find anywhere on cbid's site where they explain all their different categories...

For instance...

What is a FreeFall auction? How is it different from others?
What is a QuickBuy auction?

That'd be a good start... 

Ben


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## BDog (Oct 19, 2010)

Freefall Auctions

Unlike other auctions where the price is driven up by bids, the Free Fall Price is driven down by us and you decide what you are willing to pay. Free Fall Auctions allow you to purchase an item at a discounted price, eliminating the bidding process.
Free Fall Auctions begin at a set starting price. Upon lot opening, the price will start to rapidly fall right in front of you eyes. By clicking the “Buy Now” button you are agreeing to purchase the item at the price stated at the time of your click.
Once a bidder makes a purchase, or we decide the price has fallen too low the price will reset to the starting price.
If by chance, someone else bought the item seconds before your click you will be notified that the Free Fall Price is resetting.
All purchases are limited to a quantity of one. If you would like to purchase more than one, simply hang around and wait for the price to fall again. Don't wait too long, quantity available is not disclosed so you never know when the last unit is up for grabs.
Free Fall Auctions close at the listed close time or when all items have been sold. Whichever comes first.
Items purchased with Free Fall are processed into orders according to the time the purchase was made, not according to lot close time as QuickBuys do. This means that for daily shippers, the order for won Free Falls will be created that day, and for weekly shippers, the order will be created the next Thursday after the item was won.


Most people wait till the auction has freefallen all the way to the lowest point and then let it reset. Then the next time it freefalls then they get a bid in right before it hits that bottom number before it resets. The only issue is if enough people bid on the item on the first freefall then there is not any quantity left for the next freefall and the auction closes.


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## Firedawg (Nov 8, 2010)

Dont do it!!!!! for gods sake! stay away....ok well if you must but dont say you were not warned!


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## BDog (Oct 19, 2010)

Quick Buy is like eBay's 

Buy It Now!

If you see a "lot" that you like and people are bidding on it then you can claim one or multiple quantities of the item at the Quick Buy price. Its essentially when you feel that the Quick Buy price is one that you would be willing to pay and dont want to wait till the end of the auction to win the item. You remove the lowest bidder on the "lot" once you Quick Buy one item. If there is only one item and you Quick Buy well then that auction closes and only you win the item.


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## xJaCkSlApx (May 7, 2010)

There is another bidding site called cigarmonster.com ( Famous smoke shop host )

They also have a Mashup everyday at 11pm or sometimes in the morning for you dont miss out 



BEWARE OF THE SLOPE

Alex


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## kansashat (Mar 13, 2004)

I shop the "brands" section which will tell you what lots are available for that particular brand.

I then check what it will cost me to buy it outright on cigars international & then bid as much as 75% of that price. 

If I lose I lose. Be patient. The auction will probably come around again.

Right after holidays seems to be a good time because many of the bidders have blown their money on other things.

I get a lot of quality stuff at 50% off this way.

Good luck...& again, be patient.


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## Domino68 (Jul 17, 2010)

Original Question in title: "Can someone explain Cigarbid.com to me?"

Sure, that is an easy one. In one word: EVIL!

It is very addicting. BDog has given you some good guidelines. Best thing to do is just jump in to get your feet wet. If you have Ebay experience, you will catch on quick.


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## mrmikey32 (Dec 7, 2010)




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## CardinalsFan (Dec 27, 2010)

ben1000 said:


> Howdy....
> 
> I understand the general concept of auctions, as I use ebay a lot, but I can't find anywhere on cbid's site where they explain all their different categories...
> 
> ...


Freefall auction: Price starts at a certaim point and falls in incraments until someone buys it.

Quickbuy auction: Price for a auction is set at a certain price that is expected to be lower than what the regular bid up auction is expected to rise to so you can but it now instead of waiting for the regular auction to end to see if you won. This way you can get the item often days before regular auction will end.

Hope this helps.


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## Seasick Sailor (Jan 3, 2011)

I have made my first purchase from cigarbid and am expecting my shipment to arrive next week.

Has anyone ever had any issues with their cigars arriving in bad shape?

I was informed by their customer service department that their cigars are not shipped in a humidity controlled environment and with a typical shipping time of 4-7 business days, I am concerned that my sticks may not be in great shape when they arrive.


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## Athion (Jul 17, 2010)

They should be fine... just be sure and give them plenty of rest in your humidor before smoking them. 

They package them pretty well, inside ziplock baggies and whatnot. I did notice (and mind you, Ive only made a few orders) that while most of the cigars seem to ship in the thin-type ziplock bag, the 5 Vegas smokes came in the heavy duty type Ziplock bag... Im just sayin....)


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## zenbamboo (Aug 30, 2010)

Sailor,

Every shipment I have received from CI or CBid have come well packed and the cigars a little on the moist side. And they have always shipped out quickly. UPS Ground will take a little longer to get to Texas than it does to get to me in Virginia, but 4-7 days sounds about right. If you do the CBid combined shipments on Thursdays it may take a while to get to you because of the weekend.


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## jswaykos (Oct 26, 2010)

I haven't gotten hooked on cbid yet. Perhaps I'm just TOO impulsive and like the immediacy of ordering from a Jam or Monster (note that cigarmonster.com is NOT an auction site, as stated above). Joe's Jambalaya is the best. Should I buy? What if I like the next deal better?! I'm hooked.


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## SgtStriker (Mar 7, 2007)

I can explain cigarbid to you, but could someone explain it to my credit card :yield:


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## Seasick Sailor (Jan 3, 2011)

So you want to dance with the devil do ya?

The safest way to use cigarbid if your are new to cigars, is to stick to 5 packs and samplers so that you get to try different brands, styles etc., determine what you feel comfortable with as an average stick price, and set your maximum bid to that level. You'll also need to determine how much your are comfortable with spending a month. It will add up quickly even at a great per-stick price. make these limits rock-solid and never break them.

I actually got a credit card with a small limit that I use solely for my cigar and cigar related purchases. I pay it off every month, but when it's maxed out, that's it for that month. If you get a best buy, target, etc. card, you can even accumulate points toward gift certificates for your inevitable vinotemp purchase! This is what I am currently doing.

If you get outbid on a lot, don't worry about it, they'll be something else around the corner, and make sure you research what the price is at other online retailers and your B&M before placing a bid. What looks like a great deal may not be after all. 

I really think that if you have the self-control to stick to an average stick price you're comfortable with and don't buy more than you can safely store, you'll be fine.

If you are more experienced, look for auctions by brand and only buy boxes or packs when your favorite brands are being sold at a great price or when a sample pack comes out of something that you really want to try.

One last thing, never ever bid on anything because you think it won't hold up until the close of the auction. If you place a bid, plan on winning it and remove the amount form your monthly budget until you've officially been outbid. 

One more one last thing, don't neglect your local B&M just because you can find better prices online. Stop in once or twice a week and give them a little business. You can meet some really great people and learn a lot about cigars and life by sitting in your local B&M's smoke room with fellow BOTLs.


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## maxlexi (Sep 2, 2011)

Can anyone bump me the link to the website that show how much ever cigar auction ended price wise on cigarbid.com. I cant seem to find it.


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## FWTX (Feb 9, 2011)

maxlexi said:


> Can anyone bump me the link to the website that show how much ever cigar auction ended price wise on cigarbid.com. I cant seem to find it.


There used to be one a couple years back but they stopped maintaining it.
What I do, always have a second screen open - drag copy the exact cigar description on the specific auction then paste to the other screen and search, this will bring up the various dealer sites and what they are charging for singles, 5ers, and boxes - also, this usually brings up some recent cbid auction results for that specific cigar and also various reviews of that cigar.


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## FWTX (Feb 9, 2011)

Now here is how I handle Cbid.
Shipping charges are a major concern with Cbid, so I opt for weekly shipping to save on shipping charges.
The bidding week starts Thursday and goes to the following Weds. evening, orders are processed on Thurs. and shipped on Friday.
So for me the bidding starts on Thursday morning - and as a personal rule, stops on Weds. - period.
Have a solid idea of what cigars you’re interested in and how much you can spend - CAUTION - you never know what the end result will be.
Try to get in at the opening and place the minimum bid then go to the max bid and click the price you are willing to pay - and not one dollar more. 
I frequently get cigars for less than half what sister CI charges.

Pitfalls -
don’t bid on cigars you don’t want because they are going cheep
stay away from accessories - sometimes they go extra cheep, but the shipping will kill you
avoid going back and bidding more on an auction that you lost 
super premiums usually go for close to standard price (some exceptions)
many auctions are for odd vitolas that are not selling
auctions require you to invest in more storage faster than you could imagine

play with it if you must - experience is the only teacher 

Satan resides @ the Cbid site - guard your soul if you go there!


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## kozzman555 (Sep 10, 2011)

Cigarbid works by magically sending addictive substances straight to the pleasure center of your brain via the keyboard and/or mouse. When you go to cigarbid it activates serotonin and dopamine production in your brain. All of the fantastic deals that are on there and the seemingly unbelievable prices create a reoccurring pattern of buying more and more. As each auction is won, pleasure is increased and the addiction worsens. Cigarbid, that insidious site, slowly takes over until all of your thoughts and time are spent on getting the best deals and buying more cigars. Eventually someone will step in, (usually a spouse or S/O lol) and stage an intervention. You'll go to the Cigarbid addicts thread and learn to cope with it and learn to stay away from the site entirely......until a little time has passed and you go to the site just once to see what they have. And the vicious cycle continues.


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## JaWimb (Feb 7, 2012)

kozzman555 said:


> Cigarbid works by magically sending addictive substances straight to the pleasure center of your brain via the keyboard and/or mouse. When you go to cigarbid it activates serotonin and dopamine production in your brain. All of the fantastic deals that are on there and the seemingly unbelievable prices create a reoccurring pattern of buying more and more. As each auction is won, pleasure is increased and the addiction worsens. Cigarbid, that insidious site, slowly takes over until all of your thoughts and time are spent on getting the best deals and buying more cigars. Eventually someone will step in, (usually a spouse or S/O lol) and stage an intervention. You'll go to the Cigarbid addicts thread and learn to cope with it and learn to stay away from the site entirely......until a little time has passed and you go to the site just once to see what they have. And the vicious cycle continues.


I can say this is completely accurate. At one point my humidor was filled to capacity, still couldn't resist the urge to "just see what they have".


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## jurgenph (Jun 29, 2011)

Seasick Sailor said:


> I have made my first purchase from cigarbid and am expecting my shipment to arrive next week.
> 
> Has anyone ever had any issues with their cigars arriving in bad shape?
> 
> I was informed by their customer service department that their cigars are not shipped in a humidity controlled environment and with a typical shipping time of 4-7 business days, I am concerned that my sticks may not be in great shape when they arrive.


their cigars will arrive over humidified. i can't smoke anything from them that hasn't been resting at lower RH for at least two months.

i only had one damaged cigar from them (out of many hundreds), it was an illusione, they don't come wrapped in cellphane, and they refunded me for that stick.

J.


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## numismaniac (Jan 14, 2012)

Here is a handy research tool for the devilsite.
Cbid Completed Auctions
Be patient and you can get some good deals!


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## rocketmann82 (Jun 20, 2010)

Beware of C-Bid!!! You will always spend more than you intend on spending and you will run out of storage faster than you can imagine. Other than that, it's a great place....:smile:


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## KcJason1 (Oct 20, 2010)

my opinion of the devil site is meh!! Yes its cool if your trying to find a deal.. But if your looking for premiums of HTF this is not the place for you.. My advice catch the ISOM bug and run far far away!!! HAHA


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## Napa Cab (Dec 27, 2011)

I just won four auctions on cbid, but there was a ashtray I was going to bid on that sold for $20 plus shipping. There was bids as high as $19. I went to CI site to see how much it was, It was on sale for $15. Clicked on Joe Cigar to see what was up and it was there for $12.50 plus ships for free, so i bought 2. Timing is everything.


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## StogieNinja (Jul 29, 2009)

An explanation of Cigarbid? Sure...

You hand over your credit card, and your dignity. They send you lots of cigars.


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## FWTX (Feb 9, 2011)

numismaniac said:


> Here is a handy research tool for the devilsite.
> Cbid Completed Auctions
> Be patient and you can get some good deals!


WOW - that is great! Thanks Mark!!!


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## numismaniac (Jan 14, 2012)

I just got started back into cigars and this thing has saved me! A great tool.


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## AldoRaine (Jan 17, 2010)

I like CBid---I get an occasional deal there---on La Perla Habana's, or La Reloba----but for the most part, I can do just as good buying from CI, or Famous Smoke.

I also like to give my local BM my business when I can. Good luck with the site though.


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## chef-zorba (Aug 5, 2011)

IMO, c-bid is a great place to get cigars. It's also good place to get sticks that your local B&M doesn't supply. More than a few times however, the sticks come in the shipped box wrapped but loose and fit tightly together. Some needed a bit of time in my humidor to settle down as they were either under/over humidified. But pretty good selections and prices if you have done your research and homework. I've seen many auctions end for cigars that are priced way over what other retailers have them for.

*however, nothing comes close to walking into your local B&M and opening the door to their walk in humidor and smelling the sweet smell of a few thousand Stogies all fluffy and begging to be purchased


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## Othello (Jan 20, 2012)

cbid is a good place, in my opinion. However, you do have to watch the "slippery slope":redface:! I think some solid advice has been offered on responsible usage. I have only received one damaged cigar, minor tears on a Padron 1964 Pyramide wrapper. It smoked fine, didn't unravel and was delicious!!! I did let it rest in the humidor for three weeks before smoking.


One point; a few days ago, there was an auction held for a box (25) of Fuente Hemingway Short Stories. I watched the bidders run the price up well over $130.00, but you can buy the same item from CI, Cigar.com, etc. for $122.00!!!! So DO check prices before you bid. And...... above all, as mentioned previously; Do NOT neglect your B&M!!!!!!! Happy weekend, all!!:smoke:


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## rah0785 (Jan 17, 2011)

.....I don't know if anyone has noticed, but over the past month Cigar Bid has gone from a mostly cigar auction site to a EQUAL cigar auction/cigar purchase site. They have set a Quickbuy price on maybe 80% of all the cigar lots they offer except singles. All are priced less then the C.I. purchase price, some a LOT MORE then others. As always, that would depend on how many they have in stock and just how slow they sell at C.I.

.....but what it also does is help set a price minimum on all the auctions offered as Quickbuys. In MOST cases, if someone is going to place a bid on a cigar lot, they will set their max bid at least $5 below the Quickbuy price to come away with free shipping. Other then giving the bidder the opportunity to simply buy what he wants at a discount price, it should not change the over-all bidding process. Most high priced cigars won their never come close to their C.I. purchase price anyway. I actually like it, as most of the lines I smoke are mid-priced lines that sell for around $5per like the PADILLA CAZADORES or PUEBLO DOMINICANO. Their Quickbuy prices are set close to the price that cigar most often closes for anyway. Maybe they used the Cigar Bid auction tracker, established the average price each lot is usually won for, and then set the Quickbuy prices.

Cbid Completed Auctions


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## QiCultivator (Feb 13, 2007)

Cigars that seem to go for close to or greater than retail prices on cbid: Illusione, Tatuaje, La Flor Dominicana, Fuente high-end stuff.


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## joelepore154 (Oct 23, 2011)

First I think it depends what state you live in. I live in South Florida now but I am from NY. If you live in NY everything on cbid is a deal and a few other sites. I have found a system to where I stop my bidding on a box or five pack & usually go with the 1 x a week shipping as opposed to daily. You MUST factor in your shipping. I don't like to buy boxes because I need rotation in my smoking habits so I buy either 10 or 5 packs. I will lose the individual taste of each cigar if I don't rotate what I smoke. Recently I bought or bid on the following, this is what I got & consider it to be a good deal because as I said I need to mix them up. 5 pack of La Aroma de Cuba EE Belicoso for $21, 5 pack of La Aroma De Cuba Churchill for $20, 5 pack of Nica Libre Churchill for $10, 5 pack of Don Loino Afica Duma(robusto) $9, 5 pack of Alec Bradley Family Blend 5.5 x 50 $15 and 3 Don Pepin Garicia Series JJ Natural for $12. TOTAL $87 PLUS $6.95 SHIPPING $94 FOR 28 CIGARS I LIKE. By the way, someone told me to try the nica libre because I love Pardon's thousand series. They are amazing. You just need to let them sit for a couple of weeks in your humidor to stablize moe so than the average stick. Amazing taste if you like Padron. It also says that on the website comparing Pardon 2000, 3000, etc... to Nica Libre.


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## joelepore154 (Oct 23, 2011)

I alway find that on the high end stuff you still will get a deal. At least getting 1 stick for free out of a 5 pack. But sometimes no. People in certain states have higher prices so they are willing to pay more(and they will save) as opposed to me here in South Florida.


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## Ducrider (Feb 4, 2010)

The worst prices seem to me to be the medium priced sticks. Like AF Hemingways, Padron X000s, etc. Those almost always seem to run up close to retail. The high priced sticks are often pretty good. For instance, I've seen Padron 80th 5 packs go for well less than retail, Ashton ESGs for $13-14 a stick instead of $20. And I'm excluding Opus\Anejos from my analysis as that always draws the idiots out of the woodwork who can't use google to pay MSRP.  

Lately the free fall auctions have had some great deals. I bought two five packs of My Father Le Bijou Petit Robustos for $22.50 ea a month or so back. I'm sure if they were on regular auction they would be bid up to $30-$35.


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## mortopher (Aug 14, 2011)

Cigarbid, the cause of and answer to all of my problems.


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## Napa Cab (Dec 27, 2011)

A fun place to spend money as long as you keep to your budget and don't over spend


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## ezred (Jun 27, 2011)

I can explain it to you.

It's Al Pacino in The Devil's Advocate. It's that Fonda guy in Ghost Rider.

Personally I rarely bid on anything that's not "freefall" because the othrs go to high in my opinion. But it's what someone else will pay and that's ok, I just won't pay certan prices.

You have had some really good advice on this thread. Don't lose your mind, stay on budget, and understand that a new auctin is always around the corner.

But seriously..........that Pacino guy can really sell sin can't he.


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## TommyTree (Jan 7, 2012)

I've decided the only good strategy for cbid is to never go on it.


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## mortopher (Aug 14, 2011)

If you are unable to pass up a good deal simply because it's a good deal, Cbid can be a brutish hell for you (me 65% of the time). If you have patience, self-control, and restraint, then Cbid can be your best friend (the other 35% of my time).


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## TNTitan (Nov 7, 2011)

[No message]


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## Goatmilk (Jan 2, 2012)

You already bought Whitney's pipe on Ebay?


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## TommyTree (Jan 7, 2012)

I'm hijacking briefly, but my cbid order has processed and shipped via UPS, but I don't see a tracking number. Is there a way to look it up on the site somewhere?


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## Othello (Jan 20, 2012)

TommyTree said:


> I'm hijacking briefly, but my cbid order has processed and shipped via UPS, but I don't see a tracking number. Is there a way to look it up on the site somewhere?


 Yes, there is. The tracking number should have been in the "Shipping Confirmation" e-mail that was sent to you.
Alternately, you can go to your c-bid account and click on "My Lots" and then on the right hand column you will see "Order History". Click on that, then click on the order number you are looking for, the tracking number will be there. I hope this helps.


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## TommyTree (Jan 7, 2012)

Found it, thanks. Too bad UPS couldn't find my order, but I'm sure that'll change soon.


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## TheOriginalZell (Apr 25, 2012)

New here, In fact I made an account on account of this particular thread!  Anyway, Theres a term in the Online Guitar Universe, GAS Meaning "Gear/Guitar Acquisition Syndrome" I'm wondering of theres a term like that for cigar smokers too! 

Anyway, I'm new to cigars, In fact just bought a few mild bodied 5 packs from CBid, and was wondering how they did the payments, which is how I found this thread.


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## adambrs (Apr 9, 2012)

Cbid is a great site for the patient, budget minded smoker. A lot of decent sticks can be found for $2 or $3 each if you are lucky. I know alot of sticks that I have bought on Cbid cannot be found in my local B&Ms. Just plan out what you want to buy, research it, and set a price limit.


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## android (Feb 27, 2012)

TheOriginalZell said:


> New here, In fact I made an account on account of this particular thread!  Anyway, Theres a term in the Online Guitar Universe, GAS Meaning "Gear/Guitar Acquisition Syndrome" I'm wondering of theres a term like that for cigar smokers too!
> 
> Anyway, I'm new to cigars, In fact just bought a few mild bodied 5 packs from CBid, and was wondering how they did the payments, which is how I found this thread.


there are many an acquisition disorder for the various BOTLs...

i assume you got the payments question answered earlier in this thread?


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## TheOriginalZell (Apr 25, 2012)

android said:


> there are many an acquisition disorder for the various BOTLs...
> 
> i assume you got the payments question answered earlier in this thread?


Nah, but I figured it out regardless when they charged my account the next day


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## psinsyd (Mar 30, 2012)

Here's what I've found on how cbid works:

- Sign up for account, hear warnings from fellow BOTLs
- Make a few purchases
- Make some more purchases
- Upgrade humidor now that you've run out of room in your current humidor
- Wallet officially degraded
- Make a few purchases
- Make some more purchases
- Consider upgrading to a bigger humidor
- Start over from Step #2


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